McFarland: Ninth inning has been “Danger Zone” for college hitters facing Helland
Moose Jaw Miller Express alum Reece Helland (Moose Jaw, Sask.) set the career saves record for MidAmerica Nazarene this season. Photo: MidAmerica Nazarene Athletics
*This article was originally published on Saskatchewan Dugout Stories on May 6. You can read it here.
May 10, 2025
By Joe McFarland
Saskatchewan Dugout Stories
When opposition batters head to the plate to face Reece Helland, they are entering the danger zone.
Not only are they facing MidAmerica Nazarene’s top bullpen gun, who is an intense presence on the bump, but he also enters the game with a formidable tune.
You guessed it: the Kenny Loggins classic “Danger Zone” from the movie Top Gun.
Over his four years with the Pioneers, Helland has accumulated a 13-6 record and a 4.47 earned-run average in 84 games, with one start, and 16 saves.
His last one of the season, which came April 26 against Park University, set the school record for career saves.
Interestingly, Helland says he knew he was close, but didn’t realize what had happened until it was relayed by the public-address announcer.
“It was pretty cool – all the guys came up to me and gave me a hug and congratulated me,” he told Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast. “It was a pretty special moment for sure.”
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Listen to Saskatchewan Dugout Stories interview Reece Holland here.
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With his post-secondary career coming to a close, the Heart of America Second Team All-Conference reliever now has his eyes on one more national championship run before taking a new step in his baseball journey.
HITTING THE HIGHWAY
Growing up in Moose Jaw, Helland played every sport imaginable, including hockey, volleyball, basketball, and even badminton.
But baseball was always in his blood, as his father played for the Moose Jaw Miller Express of the then-Saskatchewan Major Baseball League (now the Western Canadian Baseball League) while his grandfather took care of baseball fields around the city.
Looking to take his game to the highest level possible, Helland even drove back-and-forth to Regina during high school to play for local teams there.
His tenacity and drive earned him a spot as an affiliated player with the hometown Miller Express for the first time in 2017, making his debut at Ross Wells Park on July 23 in a 15-6 win over Yorkton.
“It’s just so cool to be home, playing in front of the hometown, especially the family and stuff, too,” Helland said.
“Just the amount of support that I had from people that I had no clue who they were and they knew who I was just because I was the hometown kid.”
The following year, he made his first pitching appearance for the Millers, striking out two in an inning of relief in a 21-7 loss to Fort McMurray.
Helland became a regular fixture for the Miller Express in 2019, going 1-1 with a 2.95 ERA in 12 relief appearances.
SHOVIN’ INTO OVERDRIVE
The dream of playing college baseball came to fruition for Helland in 2020 when he suited up for Monterey Peninsula College in California.
He went 1-0 with a save and an ERA of zero in five relief appearances before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down.
The righthander returned the following spring to nab two more saves and a 3.52 ERA in eight appearances to earn a commitment to MidAmerica Nazarene, where he quickly became a workhorse by making 22 relief appearances in 2022.
That summer, he came back to Moose Jaw to star for the Miller Express, going 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 19 appearances before an incredible performance in the playoffs.
Helland says it was “one of the highlights” of his career, as he pitched in seven of the Miller Express’ eight games, going 0-1 with a 0.75 ERA, striking out 17 in 12 innings.
It’s also where he discovered his current walk-in song.
“It started in the series against Swift Current,” Helland recalls. “I absolutely loved it and so it became my song for the rest of the playoffs.”
While the Miller Express ended up losing in the final to Okotoks, the run became a springboard for even better things for the hometown hero, who was named the WCBL’s Most Outstanding Canadian for his efforts.
TOUCH AND GO
Over the next two springs, Helland continued to be a workhorse with MNU, going a combined 8-5 with a 4.04 ERA in 46 appearances.
He also picked up another nine saves, bringing his total to 10 in three seasons.
Heading into 2025 as a graduate student, Helland admits he knew it was a possibility to catch the record held by his former teammate and first-year throwing partner, Nathan Torres.
He quickly picked up three saves in his first six appearances, before going through a rough spell in the latter half of March.
Helland attributes it to some windy days letting some balls fly further than they normally would, but then he got back on track with another save on April 12 against Graceland.
Just two weeks later, he entered the ball game against Park in the top of the sixth inning with a 7-5 lead.
“Knowing that the coaching staff and all the guys have a lot of trust in me in the back-half of games and to close things out, it’s pretty special.”
He faced just four batters in the sixth, then came back out to finish the job in the seventh, getting a strikeout before allowing a solo home run to Zayne Morrow.
Helland allowed a single, then got another hitter to ground into a fielder’s choice before striking out Tom Hillgartner to end the game and close out the record.
“When I broke it, it was kind of like, ‘Oh, I did it,’” Helland laughed. “I knew I was close, but I didn’t know how close I was.”
His teammates gathered to congratulate him, then he says he was welcomed by a warm embrace from assistant coach Nolan Huff.
“He got pretty emotional, just knowing how much I battled this year and how hard I worked over the course of my career,” Helland said. “It was a pretty special moment, for sure.”
ONE MORE SHOT
Thanks to a 33-14 record, including 25-7 in conference play, MidAmerica Nazarene is one of the top teams heading into the Heart Conference Tournament.
They would like to make another appearance in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) World Series, something they have done twice since Helland arrived.
In fact, he registered the Pioneers’ first-ever NAIA World Series save in 2023.
Helland says winning it all and putting the cherry on top of his outstanding collegiate career would mean a lot to him.
“This program is pretty special – it’s pretty cool,” he said. “We’re a tight family and guys want to battle for each other.”
Regardless of the outcome of the playoffs, the 25-year-old will be sticking around Kansas as he just got married a few weeks ago and has accepted a full-time coaching role with the Pioneers.
He wants to give back to the game as much as he can, and serve as an inspiration for kids back in his hometown that they, too, can pursue their baseball dreams.
“I wouldn’t be where I am without baseball – I’m so grateful for it,” he said. “I’m very grateful for the coaching role and for still getting to be a part of the game.”
It’s been a heck of a ride for Helland, who is ready to spread his wings heading into the twilight of his playing career.